


Always Break My Fall

by arsenicandsunshine



Series: Merthur Kiss Fest 2019 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Helpful Gwaine, M/M, Modern AU, Swearing, The Merlin Arthur Kiss Fest 2019, a lot of swearing, definitely not to be taken too seriously, hence the rating, kind of crack?, winter kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22341685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arsenicandsunshine/pseuds/arsenicandsunshine
Summary: Merlin may be a police constable, but that doesn't mean he can ice skate. A fact he's been hiding from his best mate who just insisted on dragging him ice skating. His best mate who also made it clear he doesn't feel the same way about Merlin as Merlin does about him.How the hell did he let Arthur drag him ice skating, of all things? Oh right, Merlin has no willpower where a certain blonde prat is concerned.This is going to end well.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthur Kiss Fest 2019 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601377
Comments: 22
Kudos: 378
Collections: The Merlin/Arthur Kiss Fest 2019





	Always Break My Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Oneshot written for The Merlin/Arthur Kiss Fest 2019 - winter.

  
Merlin opened the door to his flat after definitely not fumbling with the keys. His head was swimming with statements and procedures, mixing with bleary bits of his own notes from the day. Write down everything when you’re new, they said. It'll help, they said.   
  
He dropped his kit next to the front door, too tired to deal with it further. His hat dangled in one hand. A general feeling of uncertainty settled over him like the fog from last night. He'd been so focused on just getting through shift, he didn't know what to do with himself now.   
  
Merlin gathered up the mail from the floor, groaning as he stood back up. His back and legs were protesting more strain after having run God knew how far chasing down two idiot teenagers, on top of the rest of what the shift had decided to throw at him. His mobile buzzed in his pocket.   
  
Right. It wasn't just shift, there was something he'd been distracting himself from.   
  
Mostly, that his best mate was just that. His best mate.   
  
Who was calling him. Merlin was torn between scrambling to answer and throwing his mobile across the room.   
  
"Hey, Arthur."   
  
"Well, you sound thrilled."   
  
"I'm exhausted."   
  
Merlin did not have the capacity to engage any further.   
  
"I haven't seen you in a while."   
  
One month, two weeks, three days. But who was counting? Merlin's thought drifted a bit. It would be nice to see Arthur. He'd missed Arthur. Hadn't seen him since that horrid Christmas party.   
  
"Let's go ice skating."   
  
Merlin froze.   
  
"Since when do you ice skate?”   
  
"It's a thing. That people do in the winter."   
  
"Yeah, people. Not you. You realise you can't stab people with the skates. Or win in any way.”   
  
Arthur made some vague noise that approximated out to "I know, but who cares?"   
  
"Arthur, I just got home.”  
  
"So?"   
  
Merlin flopped on his bed, tempted to let himself drift off without answering Arthur.   
  
"So no."   
  
"Don't make me come over there and physically drag you to the rink."   
  
"Why don't you try it," Merlin muttered, right before he half intentionally dropped the mobile to the floor.   
  
Merlin's fine. He's over it, really. Arthur doesn't feel the same way, and that's fine. Or it will be. Now if one were to ask, say Gwaine, he might say that it would be wise to perhaps speak to Arthur before writing it off forever. Copper or no, it sounds bloody terrifying to Merlin.   
  
He'd reached a point where Gwaine just cut him off and rolled his eyes anytime Merlin started to bring it up. "He likes you, Merlin. Hell, I'd even say he loves you. Anyone with eyes can see how important you are to each other."   
  
"Right, but—”   
  
"Friend don't eye fuck like that, Merlin."   
  
Merlin hadn't come up with a good response to that, other than protests Gwaine didn't listen to.   
  
He woke up as someone yanked his ankles off the bed. He kicked one leg free and was about to give his attacker some points to reconsider his life with when he realised who the idiot was.   
  
"Arthur, what the fuck?"   
  
Arthur just smirked.   
  
"I warned you."   
  
"Get out."   
  
Merlin rolled over, dragging his mobile off the floor as Arthur disappeared out of the room.  
  
_Gwaine, Arthur's trying to drag me ice skating._  
  
_So go, moron_  
  
_Can't figure out why, but there's a reason I MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE AROUND HIM._  
  
_You sodding idiot, he likes you_

_The Christmas party begs to differ._

_Ur a fecking moron. Go skate_

_I can't skate._

"Merlin! Let's go!" 

Merlin stifled a groan and the temptation to run into the doorframe hard enough to knock himself out. 

"I haven’t slept in days, and you're dragging me ice skating. When I get concussed from falling, it's your fault." 

Arthur was standing in near the door, Merlin's coat and muffler in his hands. 

"Guess I'll just have to catch you." 

Merlin wasn’t sure who he wanted to stab more. Arthur for looking at him like that or himself for being stupid enough to think it meant something. He yanked his things away from Arthur. 

"You fucking better." 

Their usual lighthearted banter. 

It hurt. 

He couldn't keep doing this. And yet, he put on his coat and let Arthur drag him out the door. 

It started with a Christmas party, as all the worst things do. Arthur had dragged Merlin to Arthur's office holiday party, some nonsense or other about how all their friends worked for the same company (expect Merlin, he just had to be special) so it'd be fun (he may have been right, that didn't mean Merlin wanted to suffer through a blasted office party on a precious day off). 

The party was fine. Lots of alcohol, and people Merlin did genuinely like. It was all fine until a drunk Morgana snickered and pointed over Merlin's head. 

"Look what the boys are standing under." 

He'd expected Morgana to have a higher alcohol tolerance. He'd been wrong. Merlin swallowed. He didn't need to look up to know what was dangling over their heads. Gwen, trying to be kind as ever, gently pointed out mistletoe was only tradition. 

Arthur shrugged. "You've never been one to pass up an opportunity to be a rebel. Fuck tradition, eh, PC Emrys?" 

Merlin forced a smile. He was a bloody police constable, and he'd never been so uncomfortable. 

Morgana muttered something in protest that made Gwen laugh and then blush. 

Something was clawing at his chest, shredding everything internal to ribbons and threatening his composure. Time to make his exit. Merlin cleared his throat. 

"I should probably head out, early shift tomorrow." 

Arthur shoved his hands in his pockets. 

"Oh, okay." 

They stood there for a lingering moment, the something in his chest stretched and shining between them. One glittering, awkward moment. Merlin nodded, shoved his own hands in his pockets, and left. 

He glanced back at Arthur, already across the room and laughing with another group of people. 

Fuck tradition indeed. 

Sunlight glinted square in Merlin's eyes, bringing him back to the present and Arthur dangling a pair of skates in front of his face. Merlin was tempted to smack them back at Arthur. 

"Oh, come on, Merlin. Don't be shy." 

He took a deep breath and reached for the skates. How hard could it be, right? Skates on (after a bunch of quibbling from Arthur on lacing them up properly), he hobbled to the side of the rink, setting one foot on the ice. And promptly ended up on his back, staring at the mockingly clear blue sky. 

A head of blonde hair and a confused face appeared above him. 

"You alright?" 

"Yep, great." Merlin made no move to get off the ground. 

"Are you going to get up? You're blocking the gate." 

"Right." 

Merlin tried to get to his feet. Really, he gave it his level best. Arthur had to hook an arm around him and haul him to his feet, depositing him on the side of the rink. Merlin clung to the railing like a drowning man in a storm. 

"Relax and just glide forward, controlled, it's not that difficult." 

Merlin groaned. "You're worse than my tutor constable, the cryptic shite." 

"Pretty sure you shouldn't refer to what's-his-face that way." 

"Kilgharrah is a cryptic shite. I never get a straight answer out of him, and I swear to God, if he says 'it depends' one more fucking time…" 

Arthur pulled him off the wall and started around the rink. 

The fact they were, essentially, holding hands dawned on Merlin the same time it did Arthur. Arthur let go of his hand. Just up and _let go_. Merlin went flying onto his face, with a rather lot of fanfare and flailing. 

Merlin made it to his hands and knees as Arthur choked out directions between laughs and then, despite physics, made it back to his feet. 

Arthur was bent over, laughing, and somehow still maintaining his balance. 

"You're police." 

"Has got nothing to do with it." 

"Police. And you can't get your balance for five seconds." 

Merlin flailed his arms, managing to stay upright. Sort of. He glared at Arthur, his renewed grip on the wall undoing most of the intended effect. 

"Again. Not relevant." 

He’d stopped counting before he got around the rink once without falling. Barely. Arthur was always two steps behind and never with a straight face. 

"You ought to try out for the next Olympic team." 

"You drive me fucking mental, Pendragon." 

Arthur chuckled behind him. 

It was all going rather well, until Merlin tried to look at a couple on the edge of the rink and skate at the same time. 

He groaned as he pulled himself to one knee, noticing fresh blood on his knuckles. Arthur was doing his best to not laugh as he offered a hand. 

"Hope you can multitask better on the job." 

"Oh sod off." 

He got his balance back, shaky as it was and started skating forward again. 

"Suppose you'll need someone to kiss the scraps on your knuckles better." Arthur flipped the statement into the air like it was a right normal thing to say. 

It threw Merlin off guard and he tried to turn around on instinct. The skates went one way and Merlin went another. He resigned himself to another set of bruises. 

Instead of biting ice, he found strong arms holding him. Finding himself braced against Arthur took his breath away. 

"I've got you," Arthur said, his voice quiet as all the screaming children and exhausted parents faded away. Leaving just the two of them, in the circle of Arthur's arms. Merlin stared into Arthur's eyes for a long minute, deep into the vulnerability bubbling to the surface. 

"You like me!" 

"Well yes, why else would I put up with you?" 

"No, not like--" Merlin broke off in frustration. How in heavenly hell he had ever fallen in love with this belligerent prat was beyond him. 

The vulnerability had vanished. Arthur was smirking again. 

"I hate you." 

"No you don't." 

"Yes, I do." 

Arthur mimed dropping him, letting him fall a couple of inches before catching him again. If Merlin's fingers hadn't been digging in tight to the back of Arthur's neck, he'd have strangled him. 

"Alright. We're done with the ice skating bit." 

Arthur open his mouth to protest.

"If you want me to keep loving you, we're _done_." 

Arthur's face flipped between startled and ecstatic. His hands loosened around Merlin, holding him lightly. 

"That's a big word, Merlin." 

Merlin pushed himself upright as best he could and pulled away from Arthur. He wobbled, but didn't fall. 

"We're going home, making hot chocolate and sorting all of this out like the adults we are." 

Arthur dazedly followed him off the ice. 

"And here I thought you were some badass PC." 

Merlin casually pulled one skate off, looking up at Arthur from the bench. "Oh, I am." 

Arthur's eyes trailed down to the ice skate, blade up and held as threateningly as an ice skate could be. Arthur's gaze came back to meet Merlin's. Merlin raised an eyebrow. 

"Right." 

Arthur at least had the decency to look chagrined. 

"So, hot chocolate?" he said hopefully while looking every bit the golden retriever he was. 

Merlin laughed. 

"Hot chocolate." 

Arthur smiled, settling down next to Merlin and reaching for his skates. 

"And talking." 

"Do we have to?" 

Merlin huffed out a breath. "Yes." 

Arthur muttered something Merlin didn't catch. He got his boots on first, sitting still for a long minute while Merlin was fiddling with his own. Then he stood up and turned to look at Merlin. His feet were on either side of Merlin's, blocking out the rest of the world. 

"Merlin." 

Merlin took a beat to finish lacing his boots before he looked up at Arthur. "Yeah?" 

"I want to break your falls for the rest of my life." 

"Sap." 

Any sting was taken out of the word by the smile absolutely cracking Merlin's face. He could feel his cheeks getting redder than they already were. 

Arthur had the same sappy, love-struck grin. Merlin couldn't resist hauling himself to his feet, grabbing Arthur's collar, and kissing him. Arthur's lips were soft, slightly chapped from the cold. Merlin ran a hand up, burying it in Arthur's golden hair like he'd always wanted. 

There were loud people around them, Arthur's hands were freezing, and it was the best damn kiss Merlin had ever had. 

"PC Emrys!" 

Arthur froze under Merlin's fingers. Merlin smiled against his lips. He pulled back, loosing his grip enough to flip off the cop standing a few feet to the left and glaring. 

"PC Green," Merlin said, nonchalant as he straightened his coat. 

Gwaine held the glare for a half a second before he burst out laughing. 

"Got a call about a lewd display at the ice skating rink. Had to come check it out, of course," Gwaine said, hauling Merlin into a hug. 

"Sure you did." 

He clapped him on the back and let him go, extending a hand to Arthur. 

"Glad you two got your shite sorted." 

Arthur managed a neutral face and shook Gwaine's hand. He stood there, same vacant, pleasant expression while Merlin and Gwaine ran through the latest chatter. 

He did, however, keep edging closer to Merlin, finally slipped an arm around his waist.   
Gwaine snorted, probably at whatever idiotic expression was on Merlin's face (it wasn't his fault, it was an involuntary reaction), and Merlin declared they had to run. 

"Finally," Arthur said, nuzzling Merlin's neck as they walked away. 

"You really are a huge, sappy, hopeless romantic at heart." 

Arthur stopped. 

"I meant it Merlin." 

Merlin swallowed. Or tried to. His throat was dry at the look on Arthur face, serious and dangerous. 

"I want to break your falls, all of them, for the rest of my life." 

"I know," Merlin whispered. 

Arthur cupped his face, running a thumb along his jaw before kissing him again. Slow and tender, filled with whispered promises Merlin would fight dragons to stay around long enough hear fall from Arthur's lips. 

Arthur pulled back, smiling as he wove his fingers through Merlin's. Merlin let Arthur drag him towards the tube. Arthur with his sparkling blue eyes and strong hand gripping his. 

His Arthur. 

How could he have ever thought the way Arthur looked at him was platonic? 

Later, when they were curled up on the sofa, Merlin's head on Arthur's shoulder, Merlin would think through the daze of Arthur and the spiked hot chocolate, just how wonderful it all turned out to be. 

And how he was never telling Gwaine it was in any part because of his advice. 

Ever.   
. 

**Author's Note:**

> This fest has been super fun to write for. I will take any excuse to write more on my favorite trope. First kisses, first kisses everywhere. 
> 
> Honestly, this was kind of a crack fic for me. I just ran with it. I messed around with elements of a different style than normal, it’s been fun.


End file.
